Boiler-cleaner.



E. RANKIN.

BOILER CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED IuLY 26,1915.

1,1 ,953111. l I 11116111611 sept. 21, 1915.

'which the follown EDMUND RANKIN, 0F LINCOLN, ILLINOIS.

:wurm-CLEANER.

To all 'whom t mag/concern.'

Be it known that I, EDMUND RANKIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lincoln, in the county of Logan and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Cleaners, of

is a specification.

This invention re ates to devices for blowing off scum, dirt, foam,etc., which rises to the surface of the water in steam boilers, and itsobject is to provide a novel and improved oatcontrolled device of thiskind which has a large effective working area, and which is so mountedthat it remams perfectly level with the surface of the water in allpositions of the boiler.

With the herein stated object in view, the invention consists in acombination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter de-V scribed andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which-Figure l is a longitudinal sect1on of a fragment of a steam boilershowing `the device in operative position therein; Fig. 1s a plan viewof the device; Fig. 3 1s a sect1on on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. '4 1sa sectional detail on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5'is a section onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring specifically7 tothe drawlng, 5 denotes an ordinary steamboiler in which the device is mounted, the same comprising two pipes 6arranged in alinement and connected at their. inner ends to the oppositebranches of a T-coupling 7. The side branch 8 of the coupling has aswiveling connection with a hollow arm 9, and the latter is swiveled toa coupling member 10 to which is onnected an outlet pipe 11. 0n asuitable place on the boiler wall is mounted a nipple l2 to which isconnected, outside the boiler, a blow olf valve 13. Inside the boilerthe pipe 1l is connected to the nipple 12.

The connection between the coupling member 10 and the arm 9 is such thatthe latter is free -to swing in a vertical plane. The parts 6 form askimmer pipe pivotally connected midway between its ends to the outerend of the arm 9 by the coupling 7, the pivotal axis being horizontaland parallel to the pivotal axis of the connection between the member,l0 and the arm 9. It will therefore be evident that a flexible joint isprovided for the skimmer pipe, which allows said pipe to rise and fallbodily without tilting from the horizontal, asl the water level in theboiler changes. The skim- Specication bf Letters Patent.

Application led J'uly 26, 1915. Serial No. 42,082.

Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

hold the skimmer pipe level with or when there is a rush of water whenstarting or stopping.

The inlets to the skimmer pipe are apertures 15 in the top thereof, andthe oats 14 arel designeditovhold the pipe submerged in the water asufficient distance to take in the scum, dirt, foam, etc., without theescape of steam. The skimmer pipe adjusts itself instantly to changes inthe water level, and floats easy, the fioats 14 on'each end acting .tobalance the same. As only two floats are necessary, the device takes upvery little space in the boiler.

The sections 6 of the skimmer pipe taper in the direction of their outerends, the largerends ybeing therefore at their connection with thecoupling 7. The diameter of the outlet through the arm 9 and flexiblejoints is also greater than the diameter of the large ends of theskimmer pipe sections, and the diameter of the outlet pipe 11 is greaterthan that of the arm and the flexible joints. This arrangement gives anoutlet of progressively increasing area, resulting in a free andunobstructed flow, and a less weight' to be borne by the floats.

e swivel or pivot joint between kthe member 10 and the arm 9 is made byforming saidmember with a cylindrical cage 16 at one end which seatsloosely in a cylindrical end portion 16El ofr the arm. The outer end ofthe cage carries a disk. 17 betweenl which latter and a shoulder 18 onthe member 10, the arm is held and prevented from slipping olf the cage.The 'arm swings freely on the cage.

The joint between the arm 9 andthe coupling 7 is the same as thatbetween said arm and the member 10 just described.

. The outer end of each skimmer pipe section 6 carries a ca 19 havingtwo sockets 20 into either one ofP which is screwed a short stem 21 onthe iioat 14, whereby the latter is connected to the skimmer pi esection. Two sockets are provided in or er that the float may be set toobtain the required submergence. The sockets are located alongside eachother, and one of them is at the outer end of the cap and has sideopenings 22. The outer end of the skimmer pipe is not closed by the cap,which, with the openings 22, prevents clogging.

By providing the skimmer pipe with an outlet connection midway betweenits ends instead of 'at vone end, greater eiciency is obtained, as thesuction distance is only onehalf as far, and the inlets throughout theentire length of the pipe are in action. In a skimmer pipe of a lengthto reach a suitable distance through the boiler,and provided with an endoutlet, the suction is not strong enough to reach throughout the entirelength'of the pipe, and hence a skimming action is obtained for arelatively short distance from the outlet only, leaving the remaininglength of the pipe useless. This objection is entirely obviated byhaving the outlet midway between the ends of the pipe, this arrangementpermitting the use of a v maximum length of pipe and resulting in amaximum suction distance. i

The, pipe 11 may be mounted at any conl venient place on the boilerwall, and if placed ydown near the flues it will take the place of asettling tank. The device may be mounted with the pipe 11 below theskimmer pipe as shown in the drawing, or above the same, or at the samelevel.

I claim:

1. A boiler cleaner 'comprising a skimmer pipe, a vertically swingingsupport for said pipe, and a pivotal connection between the support andthe pipe intermediate the ends ofthe latter, and floats connected to theskimmer pipe.

2. A boiler cleaner comprising a vertically swinging support, and a:float-balanced skimmer pipe pivotally connected intermediate its endsto the'support.

3. A boiler cleaner comprising an outlet pipe, a hollow arm pivotallycoupled to said pipe to swing in a vertical plane, a skimmer pipepivotally coupled intermediate its ends to the outer end of the hollowarm to swing in a vertical plane, and oatsconnected to the skimmer pipe.i

Ll. A boiler cleaner comprising an outlet pipe, a hollow arm pivotallycoupled to said pipe to swing in a vertical plane, a T-couplingswivelingly connected to the outer end of the hollow arm, a skimmer pipecomposed of alined sections connected at their innerv ends to theT-coupling and extending in opposite directions therefrom, and floatsconnected to said sections.

5. A-boiler cleaner comprising a skimmer pipe, a vertically swingingsupport foi-,said pipe, and a pivotal connection between the support andthe pipe intermediate the ends of the latter', caps mounted on theouterl ends of the skimmer pipe, said ends being open and -the capshaving sockets at their outer I ends provided with side openings, andfloats connected to the sockets.`

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

- EDMUND RANKIN.

Witnesses:

HARRY A. YocoM,

- J oHN W. RANKIN.

